Youth is no longer a problem in football. There are more coaches in solid roles without clinging to a heavy or famous past. Men who don’t spend mornings tallying battles and afternoons fretting about what comes next. Highly trained professionals who can explain the game with surgical clarity and, crucially, to players who don’t always listen.
With Hercules’ intense and contagious devotion, there was plenty of passion, but nothing excessive. Lluis Planaguma or the latest name, Manuel Maria Escobar, share that same mix of passion, force, practicality and a broad view of the football they want to play. They don’t promise entertainment; they place victory at the center of the goal and reach it by the shortest route they see. They celebrate the small details because beauty is relative, always tied to winning.
HERITAGE
Growth feels more compelling when the start is humble
The team faced a difficult turn with angel rodriguez leaving a tough choice for his successor: a clear failure or a chance at glorious success. Lolo finds the second path, taking a long, low start that makes his ascent remarkable. No one before him had sparked such a swift and deep change at the club in the new century. There had been little David Vidal… and for over thirty years that was it.
Escobar isn’t conjuring magic; he doesn’t claim invincible tactics. He values something equally vital: awareness, observation, accurate evaluation. He is a pragmatist who treats truth as it is. If a player isn’t training at the level expected, expectations won’t be spoken about; they’ll still be felt on Sunday. He doesn’t chase off-site investigations. What matters is what happens inside the team, within its control.
80 matches
He has guided Lolo Escobar as the head coach from the start.
►Since his debut in 2019, he has coached Las Rozas (2. B), Salamanca UDS (2. B), Mirandés (2.) and Hércules.
17 POINTS
21 possibilities since he took over the team on the 14th match day
►Not yet beaten, with five wins and two draws.
3 RETURN
And two wins as visitor at Rico Pérez
►The Alzira draw should have been a win, and they led Mallorca B 2-0 in the 80th minute.
He inherited a fragmented squad with no clear direction, no defensive cohesion, no battles to win; still, he reduced the risk. Escobar broadened the passing lanes, building a sturdy yet adaptable framework. How he did it: he broke the double pivot and avoided splitting the team into defense and attack as the previous coach had done. Early on, when energy was high, the attack looked dominant. As that pressure faded, he uncovered what lay behind his bold plan: a team playing without a net.
SIMPLICITY
Line unity, coordinated execution and clear roles
Another notable achievement from the Extremadura coach was granting each player their own space. Everyone knows where to go and what their role is within the collective. Cesar Moreno looks himself again, Michel finds room to press, and Sergio Marcos from Tuscany activates the attack without overloading the pivot; Alvarito is free to risk mistakes.
Success rests on precise distribution, the right amount of input, and avoiding excess. Smart sports management filled gaps from a difficult summer with a productive winter market, delivering victories that created breathing room. Adding points steadily helps the whole system, easing tension and expanding maneuverability, especially when negotiating or waiting for a decisive moment with players like Diego Jimenez.
The most visible fix appeared in the back, yet its impact will unfold later. Competition drives focus on study sessions, and it’s easier to succeed in double positions with reliable footballers because luck isn’t endless.
ALLIANCE FORT
“May luck catch us at work” is a powerful motto
All victories arrive with a layer of luck, without exception. Nothing is possible without good fortune. Goals often hinge on it. This happens in many walks of life, but the effect is immediate and tangible in football. Lolo Escobar endured luck tests: conceding goals, tough injuries, and the doubt that follows when results aren’t perfect. Yet the team did not crumble; it kept pressing forward.
And those who think this is just faith miss the point. Players need reasons to trust a coach beyond personal treatment. When they buy into a plan, it’s clear that work is well structured, tools are sound, and if results aren’t immediate, it’s because everyone is human. The coach’s clear direction matters even when outcomes aren’t perfect. The little arrow points downward sometimes, but the team keeps moving forward.